WWALS Watershed Coalition advocates for conservation and stewardship of the Withlacoochee, Willacoochee, Alapaha, Little, and Suwannee River watersheds in south Georgia and north Florida through education, awareness, environmental monitoring, and citizen activities.

A RESOLUTION BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF LEVY COUNTY, FLORIDA
REQUESTING THE PROTECTION OF THE HISTORIC
SUWANNEE RIVER IN NORTH FLORIDA.

WHEREAS, Levy County is located in North Central Florida and is
bordered by the Historic Suwannee River on its western side; and

WHEREAS. the Historic Suwannee River is one of the most widely known
and recognized river system in the world; and

WHEREAS, the Withlacoochee River (North) begins at its headwaters in
South Georgia, and flows into the Historic Suwannee River in northern Florida; and

WHEREAS, Levy County and each of the Florida counties bordered
by the Historic Suwannee River share a great passion for the
vitality and life of the river; and

WHEREAS, the Historic Suwannee River is a vital economic engine in
the Suwannee River Valley Region providing nature based recreation
opportunities; including numerous springs, paddling, swimming,
fishing, bike trails, hiking, and wildlife viewing, all of which
provide local residents and visitors increased health benefits for
participation in outdoor recreational activities; and

WHEREAS, beginning in 2009 and continuing over the past several
years, the City of Valdosta, Georgia has experienced numerous
failures and spills at their wastewater treatment facilities
resulting in the release of millions of gallons of raw sewage into
the Withlacoochee River, which in turn, flows directly into the
Historic Suwannee River; and

WHEREAS, these failures have resulted in numerous Florida Health
Department advisories to the residents of and visitors to several
North Florida counties. including Levy County, to avoid contact
with the Withlacoochee River and the Historic Suwannee River, and
numerous residents along the rivers have reported positive tests of
bacterial contamination of residential wells; and

WHEREAS, these failures also resulted in a 2013 consent decree
between the City of Valdosta and Georgia’s Environmental Protection
Department regarding the construction of new wastewater treatment
facilities and the institution of updated response and reporting
procedures: and

WHEREAS, yet again, on January 22, 2017, the City of Valdosta had
another failure resulting in the release of million gallons of raw
sewage and contaminated stormwater into the Withlacoochee River
which again resulted in the Florida Department of Health issuing
public health advisories warning the public of wastewater
contamination in the Withlacoochee River and portions of the
Historic Suwannee River, which resulted in warnings being posted at
all public access areas along the rivers stating that the rivers
were not safe for recreational use and every precaution should be
taken to avoid any contact with the river; and

WHEREAS, Levy County takes note of and supports the January 27,
2017 letter of District 10 Representative Elizabeth Porter to the US
Environmental Protection Agency requesting that “…EPA take
all necessary actions toward ensuring unauthorized and unlawful
discharges from the City’s wastewater treatment plant are
prevented…” and fully pledges its support to Representative
Porter’s efforts; and

WHEREAS, Levy County has worked tirelessly with its
municipalities and business community to attract businesses and
increase outdoor river based eco—tourism to create jobs and
grow the economies of our communities; and

WHEREAS, Levy County being a fiscally constrained county must
rely on the State of Florida to help insure that Valdosta, Georgia
eliminates the dumping of raw sewage into our rivers,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of County
Commissioners, Levy County, Florida that:

Levy County requests the Honorable Governor Rick Scott, other
elected Florida State leaders, and Florida’s State agencies, to use
the resources of the State of Florida to protect the Historic
Suwannee River and the Withlacoochee River, to protect the personal
health and business interests of the citizens of North Florida,
including Levy County, to support the efforts of Representative
Porter and to take appropriate aggressive and timely actions as are
necessary to ensure that Valdosta, Georgia eliminates the dumping of
raw sewage into our rivers and help provide Levy County the
resources its citizens so desperately need to restore the image of
our rivers and our communities as a great place to live, visit, and
do business.

APPROVED AS TO FORM
AND LEGAL SUFFICIENCY
[signed]
Anne Bast Brown, County Attorney

The letter
from Florida state Rep. Elizabeth Porter to the EPA
is
on the WWALS website,
along with
much more information.
This is the fourth such resolution you’ll find linked in there.
Three more to collect.